Does Vascular Catheterization in Mice Impact Health?

Megan M. MacBride, PhDMonday, November 21, 2016

Vascular catheterization is commonly used to sample blood and administer compounds to mice and rats, but does it have physiological impact? Researchers may assume that catheterization and automated blood sampling has no effect on the test subject, but a new study sheds doubt on that assumption.

The catheterized mice also displayed tissue damage and inflammation in regions far from the surgical site, including the heart and kidney. The authors attributed this to thrombi which detached from the catheter end and mobilized to sites throughout the body.

Based on these findings, researchers should be aware of potential confounding effects from procedures such as catheterization.